What to Expect When You Have Diabetes by Association, American Diabetes -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Foreword by John Buse, MD, PhD, President, Medicine & Science, American Diabetes Association Now That You Have Diabetes

1. Is diabetes a new disease? 2. What does the term “diabetes mellitus” mean? 3. Can I catch diabetes from someone else? 4. Is there a time of year when I am more likely to get diabetes? 5. Does eating sugar cause diabetes? 6. Is diabetes a dangerous disease? 7. Can I ignore the risks of diabetic complications since the thought of them scares me? 8. How close are we to a cure for diabetes? 9. How do I know whether I have type 1 or type 2 diabetes? 10. Should I tell my boss and coworkers that I have diabetes? 11. What is a health-care team and how can I find one? 12. How often should I see my doctor to be as healthy as I can be? 13. Is there a list of tests and things I am supposed to do to stay healthy? 14. How can I tell if my diabetes program is successful?

Blood-Sugar Highs and Lows

15. What are the symptoms of high blood sugar? 16. What type of damage does high blood sugar do to my body? 17. What are my blood-sugar goals if I have diabetes? 18. Should I be concerned about glucose control if I have type 2 diabetes? 19. Why should I work so hard to improve my blood-sugar level? 20. Should I take vitamins or minerals to improve my blood sugar? 21. How will alcohol affect my blood sugar? 22. How does being overweight affect my ability to obtain normal blood sugars? 23. Will I gain weight as I lower my blood sugar? 24. How does the health of my teeth affect my blood sugar? 25. How does being overweight affect my ability to obtain normal blood sugars? 26. Where can I find new information that will help me with my blood-sugar management?

Low Blood-Sugar Tips

27. Why do I yawn when I have low blood sugar? 28. Why do I always seem to get low blood sugar after having sex? 29. Why do I no longer feel the warning signs of low blood sugar?

Living Well — Diet and Nutrition

30. How can I eat in a healthy way? 31. I’ve heard I’m supposed to eat five fruits and vegetables a day. Why? 32. I don’t have lots of time to spend shopping for food and making healthy meals. What can I do? 33. How do I know when I should see a registered dietitian? 34. What is a meal plan? 35. I easily get overwhelmed with decisions. Would I do better if I had planned meals? 36. Diet food and all those fruits and vegetables seem so expensive. How can following my meal plan cost less? 37. How can I get my spouse to follow his or her meal plan? 38. How can keeping a food diary help my diabetes? 39. What is food combining and how does it work? 40. Will becoming a vegetarian help my diabetes control? 41. How often do I need to eat for good diabetes control? 42. Is it better to eat four or five small meals during the day instead of three large meals? 43. I’m not as hungry anymore, and I eat less often. Will this affect my diabetes control? 44. What foods can I eat when I am sick? 45. What can I eat for snacks? 46. Does reading food labels help me stay healthy? 47. How big is a serving? 48. Why are serving sizes important? Is there an easy way to remember them?

Sugar

49. How many grams of sugar am I allowed to eat in a day? 50. Now that sugar is no longer forbidden for people with diabetes, can I eat all the sweets I want? 51. I’m confused about sugars and starches. Which raises my blood sugar more—a brownie or a piece of bread? 52. Are there sweeteners that are “free foods?” How can I tell which to use? 53. Can I eat all I want of food that is labeled sugar free? 54. Why don’t some sugar-free foods taste very good? 55. How can I overcome my craving for chocolate? 56. Should I use fructose as a sweetener when I bake?

Fat

57. Why is fat in food so bad? 58. How do I know if I’m eating the right amount of fat? 59. How can I make my favorite recipes lower in fat? 60. What are fat replacers? 61. Can I eat an unlimited amount of fat-free foods? 62. What are trans fatty acids and how do they affect my diabetes? 63. What are omega-3 fatty acids and should I include them in my diet?

Dining Out

64. How can I eat my favorite foods when dining out? 65. How can I reduce fat in a meal when I eat at a restaurant?

General

66. Will fiber help my diabetes control? 67. Is it true that beans can improve diabetes control? 68. What is carbohydrate counting? 69. Is protein good for me? 70. Are plant sources of protein better for me than animal protein? 71. Are eggs off-limits now that I have diabetes? 72. How can I use herbs and spices? 73. Are sports drinks such as Gatorade okay for people with diabetes? 74. Is it acceptable for me to have a glass of wine with dinner?

Living Well — Matters of the Heart

75. Am I more at risk to develop heart disease because I have diabetes? 76. How high is my risk for heart attack with type 2 diabetes? 77. Will lowering the fat in my diet reduce my risk for heart disease? 78. What should my cholesterol level be? What is the difference between “good” and “bad” cholesterol? 79. How much can changes in diet lower my blood-cholesterol level? 80. Why did my doctor recently start me on a blood-pressure medication even though my blood pressure is only slightly elevated? 81. What diet change must I make to improve my blood pressure?

Living Well — Weight Management and Exercise

82. What are my health benefits if I lose weight? 83. Should I join an expensive diet and weight-reduction program to lose weight? 84. How can I lose weight when I have to eat on the run? 85. How can I lose weight and keep eating foods I like? 86. Does drinking water help me lose weight? 87. Won’t skipping meals help me cut back on calories and lose weight? 88. How can I lose weight when I hardly eat anything now? 89. Will a very low-calorie diet work for me? 90. How can I determine my ideal body weight? 91. What is BMI and why is it important? 92. Why do I gain weight as I get older? 93. Does insulin resistance lead to weight gain? 94. I binge-eat under stress. How can I avoid overeating the next time I feel pressured? 95. How can I say no to friends who push food? 96. Why would my husband try to sabotage my diet?

Exercise

97. What does exercise do for me? 98. How do I know I’m healthy enough to exercise? 99. I’ve had type 2 diabetes for 20 years and want to start exercising. What do I need to know? 100. Do I need a snack when I exercise? 101. Does exercise raise or lower my blood sugar? 102. How do I get the regular exercise that I need to improve my blood sugar? 103. I have arthritis in my hips. Can you recommend exercises other than walking? 104. What kind of exercise burns enough calories to lose weight?

Medications

105. What is the best medication to treat diabetes? 106. Is there a best time of day to take my medication? 107. How can I remember to take my diabetes pills to prevent high blood sugar? 108. What should I do if I forget to take my diabetes pills? 109. If I forget to take my medications, should I take two pills for the next dose? 110. Should I take my medication on an empty stomach or with food? 111. My doctor wants me to take insulin, but I would rather take pills for my diabetes. What do you suggest? 112. My doctor recently switched me from taking two different medications for my diabetes to insulin therapy. Does this mean my diabetes is getting worse? 113. I sometimes feel shaky, nervous, and sweaty. Is this a side effect of my diabetes medication? 114. My doctor warned me that I am taking the highest possible dose of glyburide and that I may need to inject insulin in the future. I am extremely afraid of needles. Is there any way I can avoid insulin therapy? 115. I have controlled my diabetes with diet, but my doctor recently prescribed a medication. Do I still need to follow my diet? 116. Should I expect my blood sugars to level off after I start a new diabetes medicine? 117. During the holidays, when I know I will eat more, can I increase the amount of medication I take to keep my blood sugar under control? 118. What medications are available to treat type 2 diabetes? 119. How do the medications listed in Tip 118 work to lower my blood sugar? 120. Do all medications used to treat type 2 diabetes work equally well? 121. Are oral medications the same as insulin? 122. I have many friends and relatives with type 2 diabetes and not one of us is being treated with the same medication. Why are there so many differences in the way we are treated? 123. Which type 2 medication should I use? 124. I have had type 2 diabetes for years and started taking insulin before many new oral medications were available. Is it possible I could control my blood sugar using an oral medication or a combination of medications?

Diabetes and Alternative Treatments

125. Are there any useful herbal remedies for diabetes? 126. Are there any health benefits to fish oil? 127. Do people with diabetes have special needs for vitamins? If so, which ones should I take?

Diabetes and Medications for Other Conditions

128. Should I take an aspirin daily if I have diabetes? 129. Many medications you can buy without a prescription say “consult with your physician before using if you have diabetes.” Should I heed these warnings? Are there general rules for buying medications without a prescription? 130. Should I tell my physician if I am taking any medications I purchased without a prescription? 131. Will the medication I am taking for depression affect my blood sugar? 132. Is it safe for me to use birth-control pills if I have diabetes? 133. Why are my blood sugars high while I am taking prednisone for my asthma?

Foot Issues

134. What foot problems do people with diabetes experience? 135. Why is it important for me to take special care of my feet? 136. What is peripheral neuropathy? 137. How does diabetes cause nerve damage? 138. How do I know if I have peripheral neuropathy? 139. Does diabetes cause more than one kind of neuropathy? 140. Are there any treatments for peripheral neuropathy? 141. What is peripheral vascular disease? 142. How do I know when I have poor circulation in my feet and legs? 143. If my feet don’t hurt, should I still check them every day? 144. How do I know whether I have an infection? 145. Should I be concerned about a small red blister on my foot from walking in new shoes? 146. Why do my feet burn at night when I’m trying to go to sleep? 147. What can I do for the numbness in my feet? 148. Does the pain in my feet have anything to do with high blood sugar? 149. Does my weight affect my feet? 150. Does a meal plan have anything to do with my feet? 151. Will Medicare pay for my therapeutic shoes? 152. Since I don’t want to end up with foot problems, how do I know whether my athletic shoes are okay?

Miscellaneous Complications

153. Can diabetic complications be predicted? 154. What kinds of eye problems are caused by diabetes? 155. Does diabetes put me at risk for developing thyroid problems? 156. Why are my fingernails thick and pulling away from the nail bed? 157. Am I more likely to develop skin infections because I have diabetes? 158. Can diabetes cause diarrhea? 159. Why do I sometimes leak urine? 160. Is insulin resistance important to my diabetes? What can I do about it?

Diabetes and Pregnancy

161. What are the risks to my baby during my pregnancy? 162. I missed my menstrual cycle and may be pregnant. Will my diabetes medications harm my baby? 163. Will my diabetic kidney disease get worse if I get pregnant? 164. I have type 2 diabetes and was quite overweight when I became pregnant. Should I try to lose a few pounds for a healthier pregnancy? 165. Does getting diabetes while I’m pregnant mean that I’m more likely to get permanent diabetes later?

Prevention Basics

166. Can diabetes be prevented? 167. I have type 2 diabetes and I worry about other family members getting it. Is there any way to prevent it? 168. Will losing weight help me prevent getting diabetes? 169. Does exercise help prevent diabetes? 170. If I have impaired glucose tolerance. What are my chances of getting diabetes later in life?

Glossary Index About the American Diabetes Association

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